In order to make the technical field to which the present invention applies more easily understood, reference will firstly be made to FIG. 1 of the appended drawings which shows, in perspective and diagrammatically, an installation which comprises two continuous casting lines 10, 10' making it possible to obtain metallurgical products such as thin slabs B, B'. Two shears 12, 12' cut each slab to the desired length, and the slab such as B or B' thus produced is brought into a furnace 16, 16', respectively, by displacement on a table with rollers 14, 14', respectively. Each of the furnaces 16, 16' is disposed according to the corresponding casting axis and it ensures an ideal homogeneous temperature for the slab for the subsequent rolling operation. Inside each of the furnaces, the slabs are displaced on a system of rollers or runners driven in rotation. At the outlet of the furnaces 16, 16', a transfer machine, denoted overall by the reference 18, is provided, which makes it possible to feed a rolling mill 20 with the aid of successive slabs such as B" originating alternately from each continuous casting line 10, 10'.
It is known that continuous casting cannot be slowed down or interrupted without detriment to the quality of the products it makes it possible to obtain. Given that the feed to the furnaces, such as 16, 16', is thus continuous, removal of the metallurgical products, such as the thin slabs B, B', from these furnaces must thus also be ensured in a continuous manner in order to permit optimum functioning of the entire installation. In point of fact, continuous removal of the products from the furnaces, such as 16, 16', cannot be guaranteed in all cases, particularly when the rolling installation such as 20, is stopped for maintenance or in the event of breakdown. It is thus necessary to provide means which make it possible to ensure the storage of the products which correspond to the production of the two continuous casting lines 10, 10', during the period of stoppage of functioning of the rolling installation 20. This is the aim of the device which is the subject of the present invention.